Web printing, associating, and folding machine.



PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

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R. G. ANNAND. WEB PRINTING, ASSDGIATING, AND FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO. 1'0, 1897.

N0 MODEL.

THE Norms wenns co. noto-um WA um Y N No. 784,112. PATENTBD JULY 2l, 1903. f

R. C. ANNAND.

WBB PRINTING, ASSOCIATING', AND POLDING'MAGHINE.

APPLIUA'TION FILED DBO. 10'I 1897. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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n No. 734,112. PATENTBD JULY 21,' 1903.

R. C. ANNAND.

WEB PRINTING. ASSOGIATING, AND FOLDING MACHINE.

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ROBERT CUMMING ANNAND, OF SOUTH SHIELDS ROBERT HOE, OF NEW YORK b UNITED STATES PATENT Patentedl'uly 21, 19,03.

' OFFICE.

, ENGLAND, AssIGNoR To N. Y.

WEB PRINTING, ASSOCIATING, AND FOLDING MACHINE.

Y SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,112, dated July 21, 1903.

Application filed December lO, 1897. Serial No. 6G

To all whom, t may-concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT CUMMING AN- NAND, of South Shields, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Web Printing, Associating, and Folding Machines, (part of which has been patented in Great Britain, No. 10,084, bearing date May 12, 1896,) of which the following'is aA specification.

My invention relates to web printing, associating, and folding machines; and its chief object is to provide a quadruple Web-machine of improved construction in which the different printing mechanisms are arranged in a handy and accessible manner, while at the salne time the space occupied b v the printing-machine and the associating, cutting, folding, and delivery mechanisms is less than that occupied by quadruple web-presses as hitherto constructed.

The invention consists in arrangements and combinations of web printing, associating, and folding mechanisms and certain specific features of construction in blanket-cylinders and paper-brakes, all as fully described and claimed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general view, in side elevation, of a quadruple web-printing machine in which myimprovements are embodied. Fig. 2 is a side view of the associating mechanism with the switches in position for leading two of the Webs to one folder and the other two webs to the other folder. Figj is a similar View, but with the switches in position for leading all four Webs to the -folder which is at the' lefthand side of the figure. Fig-4. is a similar view, but with the switches imposition for leading all four webs to the folder which is at the right-hand of the figure. Fig. 5 illustrates one of the reels of paper in end View and the nofveltconstruction of brake. Fig. 6 illustrates the same parts'in front View. Fig. 7 is a sectional View illustrating means 45 for connecting any of the presses to and from the driving mechanism. Fig. 8 is a face View illustrating the same means. Fig. 9 is a detail view of part of the device illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 1 is drawn to a smaller 5o scale than the other igures.

Stated broadly andas will be seen on refhave a comparatively short dista 1,349. kNo model.)

erence to Fig. 1, the combined pressconsists of two lower and two upper printing mechanisms, one of the lower mechanisms being placed at each end of the combined machine in a more or less upright position, While the othei'jtwo printing mechanisms are arranged in a position slightly inclined from the horizontal, their inner portions being higher than their outer portions and with the framework 6o that carries them resting upon the top of the framework of the lowerV mechanisms. The printing-cylinders of all the four mechanisms are parallel to one another. By arranging the printing mechauismsin this manner I provide space between the two end printing mechanisms and below the upper two for the web associating, cutting, folding, and delivery mechanisms, and the websat'ter they are printed nce to travel 7o before reaching the folders. In my arrangement there are no cutting-cylinders in the printing mechanisms, and the webs are brought to the folders uncut and are folded longitudinally while still uncut, and the cutting is effected after the webs have been longitudinally folded. This is a great advantage, as it saves time in feeding in fresh webs,

saves paper when breakages occur, and there is nodifticulty in keeping the register and 8o cutting right.v

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. l, P andv P2 represent, respectively, the two lower printing-presses, and P3 and P4'thetwo upper presses.

A A2 At3 A'l are respectively the inking mech` anisms, and B B2 B3 B4 the ink-fountains, of the four presses. These parts are of the usual kind and require no further description. Only a fewot' the composition rollers 9o are shown. Their arrangement can be varied as desired. They are usually arranged to suit the class of printingproduced by the press. f

R', R2, R3, and R4'are the web-reels appertaining, respectively, to the four presses, and W W2 W3 W4 are the fourwebs of paper carried by and delivered fromfthese reels.

C C2 C3 C4 are the stereotype-'cylinders for printing the first side of the respective webs, Ion and D D2 D3 D4 are the corresponding blanket-cylinders. l

F' F2 F3 F4 are the stereotype-cylinders for printing the second side of the respective webs, and E' E2 E3 E4 are the corresponding blanket-cylinders. v

It will be seen that in the case of each of the two lower presses P' P2 the'inking mechanism A A2 is placed at the bottom, with the fountains B B20utsde. The tirst stereotypecyliuder C C2 is placed above the large inkcylinder, and the corresponding blanket-cylinder D D2 is in the same horizontal plane. The blanket-cylinders E E2 and stereotypecylinders F' F2 for printing the second side of the web are arranged almost vertically above the first blanket-cylinder, the second inking mechanism being arranged horizontally on the outside of the machine. By this arrangement the stereotype-cylinders C C2 F' F2 lie with their upper sides fully exposed, which admits of the stereoplates being put on and removed with great facility. In the case of each of the two upper presses the two stereotype-cylinders and the two blanket-cylinders are arranged in a straight line somewhat inclined from the horizontal. It will be noticed thatin these presses also the stereotype-cylinders C3 C4 F3 F4 lie with their upper sides fully exposed.

After the four webs W V2 72 W4 are printed they pass the registering-rollers II H2 H3 H4 and thence by the pathways of moving tapes to the associating and folding mechanism, which is hereinafter described. It will be seen that the reels R' R2 R3 R4 are carried at the outside of the machine and that after all the webs have been printed they leave their respective presses on the inside. They are thus in close proximity to the folding mechanism, and therefore only comparatively short lengths of the webs lie between the printing mechanisms and the folding mechanism. 'lhis is of great service in savy ing strain ou the paper and in getting the register and cutting right.

I will now describe the associating mechanism for dealing with the webs after they have been printed and passing them on to the longitudinal folding device. This folding devicemay bea single longitudinal folder; but preferably it consists, as in the arrangement shown, of two back-to-back longitudinal folders K' and K2, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, which may be of any suitable form for folding the webs when on the run.

1 and 2 represent the under runs of tapes for bringing the two webs W' W2, respectively, from the two lower printing-presses. The tapes 1 pass around, respectively, the rollers 8 and 14 and the tapes 2 around the rollers 9 and 15.

3 and 4 are the upper runs of tapes for the samewebs. They return around rollers 16 and 17, respectively. Sets of tapes pass, asl

shown, around the rollers 11 and 12 and down the face of the fold-formers K K2 to the pulleys 24 and 25. In order to draw up any slack on the webs, they are slightly nipped between the tapes passing around the rollers 8 and 14 and the roller 11 and again between the tapes passing around 11 and 24 and the roller 14. Lower runs of tapes for each of the upper webs W3 W21 pass around the rollers 10, 19, and 20, and upper runs of tapes pass around the rollers 13 and 18. The rollers 8, 9, 10, 11,12, and 13 are all driven by gearing from the printing-machines, as will be well understood, aud their surface speeds should be somewhat faster than the rate of travel of the webs. This insures that the webs are kept tight and that the register and cutting are right.

L is a set of lowerswitches movable to the right and left on a horizontal axis L.

M represents one of two or more parallel switch-bars free to slide ou a fixed horizontal rod M', which is itself suspended from a bracket M2. The switchbars M and rod M' are omitted in Fig. l. The lower ends of the switch-bars M are split or open, so as to go over the upper edges of the switches L, as seen in Fig. 2, and thus form an unobstructed pathway for the Webs. When it is desired to run the lower web W' and the upper web W2 to the folder K and the other two webs W2 and W4 to the folder K2, the switches L and M are placed as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to run all the webs to the folder K', the switches M are slid along the rod M' to the ends of same against the sides of the framework. This puts them clear of the webs, which are less wide than the framework. The switches L are moved to the position seen in Fig. 3 and also in Fig. 1. When it is desired to run all the webs to the folder K2, the switches L are moved to the position seen in Fig. 4.

The longitudinal folders K K2 are of the well-known form, consisting of a V-shaped internal guide or fold-former working in conjunction with external folding or drawing rollers S S, which fold the paper when on the run. T T are transverse cutting and folding cylinders which sever the webs into sheets and give them one or more transverse folds,

after which they are carried to the deliveryI mechanism, which may be of any suitable form. which the rollers S S and T T are driven. These wheels derive their motion from the shaft 36 through the intermediation of the wheels X X. The cylinders S S and T T are carried in bearings forming part of the side frames at Z Z. There is also a central strut Z,(or there mightbe two central struts,) which carries in bearings the inner ends of the cylinders S S and T T. It is advantageous to have two separate and independent transverse cutting and folding mechanisms, asjust described, for receiving longitudinally-folded webs or sets of associated webs from the two folders K K2 instead of having one such mechanism the cylinders of which are suiiiciently long to deal with longitudinally-folded webs from both or either of the folders K K2.

T T represent the gear-wheels by4 y able kind at 37.

When there are, as described, two separate and independent mechanisms and one of them breaks down, the longitudinally-folded webs can be switched by the mechanism already described to the other folder.

The combined quadruple machine is shown as driven by two driving-shafts 26 26, which may receive their motion from any suitable prime mover-such, for example, as a steam or electric motor. The driving-shafts 26 26 carrytoothed wheels 27 27, gearing with wheels 28 28 on the shafts of the blanket-cylinders E E2. The wheels 28 28 gear with wheels 29 29 on the shafts of the blanket-cylinders D' D2. Motion is also transmitted from the wheels 27 27 to wheels 30 30 on the shafts of the blanket-cylinders D3 D by the intermediate gear-wheels 3l and 32 and from the wheels 30 30 to wheels 33 33 on the shafts ofthe blanket-cylinders E3 E4. On the shaft of each of the blanket-cylinders D and D2 is keyed a bevel-wheel 34, meshing with a bevelwheel 35 on the respective ends of a horizontal shaft 36, which connects the two lower printing mechanisms. This shaft 36 is in two parts, with a releasable coupling of any suit- The two lower printing mechanisms can thus be worked together from either of the driving-shafts 26, or separately, as desired. The toothed wheels 30 30 on the shafts of the blanket-cylinders D3 D4 are mounted loosely on the said shafts, but can be connected therewith at will by means of any suitable arrangement-such, for example, as that shown in Figs. 7,8, and 9, so that either of the two upper printing mechanisms may be driven or not, as may be required. l l

Referring to Figs. 7, 8, and 9, 30 is the toothed wheel, mounted loosely on the shaft of the blanket-cylinder D3, (or D4,) and 32 is the wheel from which the wheel 30 receives its motion. a, is a disk keyed on shaft of said blanketcylinder. fis a bolt or plunger working in a hole in said disk, and h is a corresponding hole in the wheel 30. gis a spring, which may be either a flat spring, vas shown, or of other suitable form tending to push the bolt finto the hole h. On the side of the bolt-head is a projection or pin k, working up against a snail or cam i, attached to the outside ofthe disk et. When it is required to disconnect the wheel 30 from the shaft of the cylinder D3, the bolt f is moved around by means of a key, and the projection lc, by working against the snail withdraws the bolt from-the hole h, as seen in Fig. 7. At the high part of the snail there is a depression. or groove l, Fig. 9, into which the pin 7c drops to hold the bolt from turning backward. When it is required to connect the wheel 30 with the shaft, the boltf is turned in the reverse direction and thespring g forces it into the holev h. The means just described for connecting and disconnecting the driving lnechanism to and from the printing mechanism can be applied to any double, triple,

or multiple web-printing machine, as will be readily understood.

I will now describe the novel construction of brake for controlling the reels of paper. This brake is seen applied to all the four reels in' Fig. l and is illustrated on a larger scale in Figs. 5 and 6. The brake is intended to steady the roll of paper and is applied to the surface of the paper itself. It gives a uniform tension not only when the roll is full size, but also while the roll gradually diminishes in diameter, and when the brake-pressure is once adjusted it is practically automatic. mis the brake shoe or band. Itconsists of a band of flexible material, such as leather, bearing against the roll of paper, as shown, and stretched tight. One end of the brake-band m is attached -to a hook n on an arm o, and the band is tightened by means of a screw-hook p at the other end screwing into a nut c] on the outer end of the arm o. The arm ois pivoted at its inner end on a horizontal rod r, fixed to the framework of the machine. On the rod r is a springs, one end of which is attached to the arm oand the other end to the boss of a hand device, preferably a handle t, as shown, so that the spring has always a tendency to cause the arm o to move in the direction which will press the band m against the roll of paper. On the side of the handle t is a pawl u, which engages with a ratchet-wheel o on the rod r.

By means of the handle t the springs can be wound up to give any desired brake-pressure upon the paper-roll, and the pawl u retains the handle in the position to which it is moved.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a quadruple web printing, associating and folding machine, two lower webprinting mechanisms arranged end to end on one IOO level in one vertical plane and situated respectively at the opposite ends of the cornbined machine in an approximately vertical IIO position with a space between them and with their printing-cylinders parallel to each other, two upper web-printing mechanisms situated respectively above the two lower web-printing mechanisms and arranged end to end on one levelin the same aforesaid vertical plane, with their printing-cylinders parallel to each otherand to the printing-cylinders of the two lower printing mechanisms, and with their framework resting directly -upon the top of the framework of the two lower web-printing mechanisms, each of said upper web-printing mechanisms being in `an approximately straight and inclined line with the inner end slightly higher, means for'conveying the uncut printed Webs from the respective printing mechanisms to folding mechanism and webfolding mechanism in the space between said lower web printing mechanisms vand below said upper web-printing mechanims, substantially as set forth.

2. In a web printing, associating and folding machine, the combination of two lower Web-printing mechanisms arranged end .to end on one level in one vertical plane with a space between them and with their printingcylinders parallel to each other, two upper Web-printing mechanisms arranged end to end on one level in the same aforesaid vertical plane, with their printing-cylinders parallel to each other and to the printing-cylinders of the two lower Web-printing mechanisms and with their framework resting directly upon the top of the framework of the two lower web-printing mechanisms, a double back-to-back longitudinal web-folding mechanism in the space between the lower webprinting mechanisms and below the upper web printing mechanisms, comparatively short pathways of tapes conducting the respective printed webs uncut to said web-folding mechanism, and movable switches whereby the webs may either be alldirected to the one side of the folding mechanism or to the other side of same, or two webs may be directed to the one side and two webs to the other side of said web-folding mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. In a quadruple web printing, associating and folding machine,-having two lower web-printing mechanisms and two upper webprinting mechanisms, all disposed as hereinbefore specified the combination in the space between the lower web-printing mechanisms and under the upper web-printing mechan` isms of web-associating and double back-toback longitudinal web-folding mechanism, and two separate and independent transverse cutting and folding mechanisms for cutting the printed webs after these have been associated together and longitudinally folded,and whereby according to requirement said transverse cutting and folding mechanisms can either be run together or either of them can be run while the other is stationary, substantially as set forth.

4. In a web-printing machine having more than one printing mechanism, a gear-wheel mounted loosely on the shaft of a blanketcylinder and formed with a hole, adisk fixed on' said shaft a snail or cam attached to the outside of said disk and formed with a depression or groove in its high part, a bolt working in a hole in said disk and adapted to be rotated by hand by means of a key, and formed withaprojection working against said snail or cam tending to disconnect said disk from said blau keb-cylinder, and a spring tending to push said bolt into the hole in the aforesaid gear-wheel, to connect said disk to 'said blanket-cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In aweb-printing machine the flexible brake-shoe fmy in contact with the surface of the paper on the reel, the arm 0 pivoted to the framing and carrying said brake-shoe, a screwed partp for tautening the brake-shoe to any required degree, a coiled springs tending to force said arm and said brake-shoe toward said paper, and a pawl-and-ratchet wheel for winding up the said spring and retaining itin the wound position, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT CUMMING ANNAND.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. NEWBURN, GEORGE C. BACON. 

